Rope machine



Feb; 18, 1947.

W. E. SOMERVILLE ROPE MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l y-E27/einfor- Feb- 18, 1947. w. E. soMERvlLLE 2,416,125

ROPE MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1945 4 sheets-sheet 2 FEM. i

Feb. 18, 1947. E, sQM'ERVlLLE 2,416,126

ROPE MACHINE Filed Aug. l, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. v18, 1947--y w. E.soMERvlLLE y 2,415,126

HOPE4 MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [lll/Il Patented Feb.18, 1,947 l UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE Applications?, e-l-flsaslfo.608,128 y I g In the so-called tubular or pipeA type of wire ropemachine, whether it be a stranding machine or a closer, the long tubularbody in which the bobbins aresuspended must be made in sections thathave been, heretofore,y rigidly united, end to end. It is almostimpossible to achieve such accuracy in manufacture as is necessary toobtain perfectly balanced completed rigid tubes or 2 dividedtransversely into any desired number of sections. A good length for asection' is one adapted to house three or four bobbins. In theparticular machine illustrated there are three sections, 2, 3' and 4,each of which contains three bobbins supported in cradles 6 in the usualmanner. The cradles are pivotally supported in any pipes; the resultbeing that, even though time f come the faults which almost inevitablyexist4 in such members made in the old way. In carrying out myinvention, the tubular body is formed in sections, as heretofore, but,instead of connecting the sections rigidly to each other, I make theconnections yieldable to such an extent that each complete body becomesself aligning.

Therefore, viewed in one of its aspects, the present invention may besaid to have for its object -to produce a rope making machine of thetubular body type wherein the body is self aligning.

The various features of novelty whereby the present invention ischaracterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularlty in theclaims but, for a full understanding of the invention and of its objectsand advantages, reference may be had to the following detaileddescription taken in connection with theaccompanyin'g drawings, wherein:

Figures 1 and 1^ are side'views of the halves of a machine, embodyingthe present invention, divided along a central transverse plane; Figs. 2and 2A are top plan views of the two parts of the machine appearing4 inFigs. 1 and 1^, respectively;

. Fig. 3 is .a section, on an enlarged scale, on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;Fig. 4 is a section on line 4--4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section, `on astill larger scale, on line- 5-5 of Fig.' 3; Fig. 6 is a section on lineposite ends with trunnions 'l having bearings in transverse spiders 8fixed in the tube or pipe; these bearings being at the longitudinal axisof the body and above the centers of gravity of the s-s of Fig.- 3, thescale being the same as that or the sections are very small.

Fig. 5; Fig. 'I is a central longitudinal section at a joint betweentwotube or pipe sections-showing a modified form of joint; and Fig. 8 is asection on line 8-8 of Fig.l 7;

'Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, I represents the tubular body of a strandingor closer machine cradles and their bobbins. There is one such spider ashort distance inward 'from each end of each tube or pipe section.

I utilize the spiders at the meeting ends of the tube or pipe sectionsto couple the latter together; the couplings "being, however, yieldableinstead of rigid. In the arrangement shown, there are on the two spidersat each joint brackets 9, which preferably take the form of smallspiders shaped to extend toward each other. On each bracket or smallspider are two short arms III, paralleling and on opposite sides of theaxis of lthe tubular body and extending across the dividing planebetweenthe corresponding tube orv pipe sections. On each arm is atrunnion I l that angular position, freely to rock while beingheldagainst other relative movements. The parts are so proportioned thatmeeting ends of the tube or pipe sections are spaced a little apart fromeach other. The bearings in the rings are spaced ninety degres apart so,that any two meeting sections may rock relatively to each other abouttwo transverse axes at right angles to each other; the rockingmovements" being, of

course, limited to a very small'angle by reason of l the fact that thegaps between meeting ends of Instead of using Vthe trunnion or any otherswivel type of flexible coupling, the cooperating brackets may besecured together by an elastic member fixed to both of themandpermitting slight adjusting movements between two connected tubeorpipe sections by reason of the elasticity of such members.l Thus inFigs. 7 and 8 the brackets I5, similar to the brackets 8 heretoforedescribed, have ears I6 instead of trun'nions, these ears on eachbracket being in a plane ,at right angles to the axis of the machine,and the plane of the ears on one bracket being spaced a little apartfrom the plane of the ears on the cooperating bracket. A stii ber platein the form of a disc I'I is disposed in the space between the two setsof ears and is fastened to the latter by bolts I8. The ears on onebracket are staggered rela tively to those on the other bracket, so thatthere is no metal to metal connection between thev two tube or pipesections and they may rock slightly relatively to each other through theiiexing oi the It will be notedthat both couplings described are soconstructed that they do not interfere with the wire or strand A thatemerges in the usual way from the hollow trunnion 1 on the cradle in onetube or pipe section and'extends diagonally into the adjacent section.Thus in Figs. 3 and 'Z the wire or strand passes between the arms of thespiderlike bracket onthe large spider that supports` the trunnionthrough which the wire or strand is led; the wire clearing theconnecting means between the two brackets.

The tubular body may b'esupported and driven in any suitable way. In thearrangement shown,

, the tube or pipe is supported at its driven end by a heavy journal 24that is xed 'thereto and extends through a bearing 25 on top of apedestal 26 which rises from one end of a sturdy base 21 that extendsthroughout the length of the machine. At intervals along the base arethe usual roller frames 28 provided with rollers 29 on which the bodyrests and by which the remainder of the support vfor the vlatter isgiven. It will be seen thatthere is only one roller frame under section2, this being located between the second and third bobbins. Undersection 3 are two roller frames, one close to the adjacent end ofsection 2 and the other between the second and third bobbins. There aretwo roller frames under section 4, one at each end. The tube or pipe isdriven by a'belt 30fextending from a motor 3| around a pulley 32 onjournal 24g Because the tubular body is not constrained by anembracingbearing anywhere except at the driven end, the exible couplings areenabled to permit it to iiex a little and permit itssections to becomeaccurately aligned through `proper adjustment of the roller frames; andeven though the roller frames should not be accurately adjusted, thebody member does not offer the resistance to turning thata rigid memberwould under the same conditions. On the other hand, when the rollerframes are adjusted to accommodate a tubular body of which the sectionsare ac'- curately aligned, the latter will automatically alignthemselves.- Consequently, using my invention, a machine can be drivenat higher speed,

, with the same expediture of power, than is possible with priormachines of this type: the machine 3 is easier to manufacture and itwill last longer.

While I have illustrated and described with 1 particularity a singlepreferred form of my ini vention, together with some simplemodifications,

come within the denitions of my 'invention constituting the appendedclaims.

section thereof, spiders fixed within said body; -l'one on each side ofeach gap, and a universal` Joint unit of the swivel type, of smalldiameter compared with the diameter ofsaid body, disposed within andcoaxial with the body between anld secured to the central portions ofeach pair ofI opposed spiders, and the` space around each universaljoint unit being clear and unobstructed. y

2. A rope making machine embodying an elongated body formed of aplurality lof tubular sections -arranged end to end with a gap betweenproximate ends of adjacent sections, external bearings for the body eachengagingonly one section thereof, transverse members fixed within thebody so as to extend from the cylindrical wall inwardly toward the axis,one on each side of each gap, brackets, whose dimensions transverse tothe axis of the body are much smaller than'the diameter of the body,secured to said members near the said axis, the brackets on oppositesides of each gap extending toward each other, and means connecting eachpair of opposed brackets to permit relative movements of thecorresponding tubular sections in any direction.

3. A rope making machine embodying an elongated body formed of a'plurality of tubular sections arranged end to end with a gap betweenproximate ends of adjacent sections, transverse members fixed in thebody so as to extend from the cylindrical wall inwardly toward the axis,

one on each side of each gap, brackets, whose' dimensions transverse tothe axis of the body are much smaller than the diameter of the body,

vsecured to said members .near said axis, the

, tions arranged end to end with a gap between proximate ends ofadjacent sections, transverse members yfixed in the body so as to extendfrom the cylindrical wall inwardly toward the axis, one

on each side of each gap, brackets, whose dimensions transverse to theaxis of the body are -much smaller than ythe diameter of the body,secured to saidmembers near said axis, the brackets on each side ofeachA gap extending toward each other, each -bracket having thereon apair of aligned trunnions disposed at right angles to said axis, theaxes of all trunnions being in the same plane and the common axis of onepairbeing at right angles to the axis of the other pair, and a ring-likeelement containing radial bearings vfor said trunnions.y

5. A rope making machine embodying an elongated body formed of aplurality of tubular sections arranged end to end with a gap betweenproximate ends of adjacent sections, spiders spanning the interior ofand fixed to said body, one on each side of each gap, a small spiderwhose transverse dimensions are much smallerthan the body diameter xedto the center of each of the aforesaid spiders on the side facing thespider across the adjacent gap therefrom, means connecting the centralportions of opposed small spiders in a manner to form universal jointswhich allow adjacent tubular sections to move freely relatively to eachother to bring their axes into positions at an 'angle to each other, andthe space within thebody around. each pair of small smaller intransverse dimensions than the kdiameter of the body, including auniversal joint, be-

tween said transverse members at each gap and coaxial with the saidbody.

WILLIAM E. SOMERVILLE.

o REFERENCES CITED The following references a1"e of record in the illeof this patent: l

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Dater 2,371,523 Jones Mar. 13, 19452,147,065 Somerville Feb. 14, 1939 2,295,935` Cotchett Sept. 15, 19421,887,538 Bond Nov. 15, 1932 1,691,116 Jencick 1 Nov. 13, 1928 1,997,488Henry Apr. 9, 1935

